It is well recognized that shock-absorbing systems may be interposed between a base structure, such as a vehicle or ship body or superstructure, and a structure or equipment mounted to the base to provide isolation of the so-mounted equipment. In vehicles and ships, for example, such isolating mechanisms are used to support seats and seating systems, such that the driver or pilot of the vehicle or craft, as well as passengers, can be in some manner isolated from the buffeting resulting from travel over rough terrain or seas.
Human factors engineering recognizes both a dynamic response index (“DRI”), a measure of a peak acceleration realized by a human when subjected to a known forcing function, as well as a summation of equivalent static compressive stress realized by a human model, denoted as Se. The significance of the Se variable is that it is a cumulative measure of stress over a normalized period of time.
Accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a shock-absorbing system, particularly adapted to provide appropriate isolation to a human, which represents an attempt to minimize both DRI and Se.